[Radiologic imaging of thoracic trauma]

Blunt trauma to the chest results from the transfer of kinetic energy to the human body. It may cause a wide range of mostly life-threatening injuries, including fractures of the thoracic skeleton, disintegration of the pleural space, contusion or laceration of pulmonary parenchyma and damage to the mediastinal structures. For a systematic approach it may be helpful to follow an organ-based evaluation of thoracic trauma. However, it should be borne in mind that subtle injuries may be associated with serious complications. Trauma to the chest may affect different anatomic compartments at the same time, requiring an extending diagnostic approach. Conventional radiography plays a major role in diagnosing thoracic trauma, complemented by ultrasound examination of the pleura and abdomen. It is well documented that CT scanning represents a major technological improvement for assessment of thoracic trauma. With the advent of fast helical CT scanning this method becomes more applicable for severely traumatized patients and potentially replaces other time-consuming procedures. State-of-the-art imaging of both projection and cross-sectional techniques provides useful information for immediate and appropriate treatment mandatory in patients with thoracic trauma.